


Stage Managing 101

by skymageariel



Series: 31 days of The Dragon Prince [24]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Modern AU, Theatre AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:55:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27247645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skymageariel/pseuds/skymageariel
Summary: The Katolis High stage manager sucks, and the theatre kids try and convince Soren to take over.
Relationships: Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Series: 31 days of The Dragon Prince [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946767
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	Stage Managing 101

To be completely clear, right from the get-go, Soren was only in this theatre class for his fine arts credit. Never once did he think he’d actually care enough to be able to rise through the ranks. As a junior, all Soren was really concerned with was passing enough of his exams to be able to go to college (though between him and Claudia- college wasn’t even really on the radar at all). So whenever he was in class, listening to Gren drone on for Amaya, their fearless drama-teacher-slash-director, he promptly ignored as much as he could, pretending to read from his AP government textbook. It wasn’t like Amaya was a bad teacher- she was great. When she was teaching, she actually got Claudia to get off her phone, and Callum and Rayla to quit passing notes between each other. He wanted to like her class, but Soren just wasn’t a theatre kid. He was there for the credit.

And yet, somehow at the very end of his junior year, Soren found himself taking on the roll of stage manager. He became the one in charge of props, mics, curtain and lighting cues, running sound checks, scene changes, set changes- all because of one extra credit assignment.

—

The usual four- Soren, Claudia, Rayla, and Callum- all met at the same lunch table they sat at every day. Callum and Rayla nervously conversed about opening night, barely twelve hours away. Rayla, the assistant stage manager, tried to complain to them about the  _ actual _ stage manager, but neither of them were really interested. Claudia was too caught up in the fun of her big song- Callum concerned he’d fall into the pit during one of the dance numbers. 

“Dude, you’re not gonna fall in,” Claudia groaned, sitting across from him, and next to Soren. “Just because you step closer than two feet to it doesn’t mean your life is over.”

“But the stupid freshmen behind me never stand where they’re supposed to! I always get pushed closer to the front- I don’t wanna get too close!”

“Woah, back up. You don’t get to make fun of freshmen when you’re a freshman. Besides- they already hate you for getting the lead, so why not piss them off and yell at them to back up?” Claudia shrugged, stabbing a fork in the excessively soggy school provided green beans. 

“They hate me?”

“I mean, yeah, you got the lead. I’m pretty sure the seniors hate you too.”

“I’m not the lead, I’m-“

“Oh, the ‘comic relief’,” Claudia mocked his voice. “You got a bigger part than half this year's graduating class. They hate you.”

“What! No!” 

“Uhg, you don’t know the half of it,” Rayla complained, sitting down next to Callum. “This stage manager is the worst. She’s completely unorganized- I don’t think I’ve seen her hold the cue sheet once.”

“At least your life isn’t constantly in danger,” Callum reminded her. “These freaking freshmen are gonna push me into the pit! I’m gonna get impaled by a clarinet or something.”

“The stage manager literally lost the show bible at dress rehearsal last night,” Rayla said. “The whole  _ show _ is in danger.”

“That’s what you get for being theatre kids,” Soren finally piped up. Until then, he’d just been smiling stupidly at the dumb things they were arguing about. The group turned to him and started hurling retorts.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Callum said. “These kids are awful, and I’m gonna fall to my death if someone doesn’t fix this.”

“I don’t think you really understand what’s at stake, here,” Rayla reminded him. “She lost the entire show bible. Every prop, every cue, every scene change- gone. She’ll be leading the show blindly, leaving me to clean up the mess!”

“The ensemble never learned the support vocals for my song!” Claudia complained. “There’s gonna be whole blank spaces in the music because no one kept them accountable!”

“Sounds like you all need a new stage manager,” Soren answered simply. “Good luck with that.” 

“There’s no way we’d be able to find a new one so quickly,” Rayla said, matter of fact. “Unless by some miracle there was someone who knows the show inside and out, we have no one to even consider as a replacement.”

“Although,” Claudia began, putting on a charismatic smile. “Soren has been in class all year, listening and taking notes at class rehearsals.”

“Oh, yeah!” Callum caught Claudia’s idea. “He’s the only one with parental permission to use the wood cutter, which means Soren’s been to every build!”

“Which means Soren knows the set like the back of his hand!” Rayla added. “Soren, you could be our new stage manager!”

“Yeah, I’m not gonna do that,” he answered. “That’s a lot of work, and I really don’t feel like it.”

“Please!” They all chimed in at once.

“I don’t think I can handle another SECOND with this awful stage manager,” Rayla said. “All those problems that we’ve been listing off are her fault!”

“Who even is the stage manager?” Soren asked. “Does this mystery person have a name?”

“We can’t say it out loud,” Claudia whispered to him. “It’s like taboo- if we say her name out loud, she appears out of thin air.”

“Okay, well, I still don’t know who she is,” Soren shrugged. Rayla leaned forward, cupping her hand over her mouth like she was telling a secret.

“Okay, so you know that girl with the orange hair and the choppy bangs?” she whispered. Soren looked confused.

“That girl you sit next to in stats?” Callum offered. 

“Yeah, still doesn’t ring a bell.” Soren shrugged. “I’m a names kina guy- tell me her  _ name  _ and I’ll know exactly who she is.”

“Soren!” Claudia pulled him closer, whispering in his ear again. “The girl with that. weirdly shaped nose?”

“Oh, you mean Ariel?”

“SHH!” Everyone scolded.

“What! What’s wrong with Ariel?”

“Oh my goodness, hey everyone!” came a voice from the end of the table. The crew looked up to see the girl tuck a strand of ugly orange hair behind her ear. “Ready for opening night tonight? I know I am!” Ariel smiled, moving to sit down next to Callum, who scooted away.

“Yeah, ecstatic,” Rayla answered, bland. “Hey, did you ever find the show bible?”

“Oh!” Ariel smacked her forehead. “I totally forgot to look for it!” She let out a sigh. “I’m sure we’ll be fine though, right guys?” 

“Yep,” Callum muttered through a strained smile. “We got it. A hundred percent.”

“Oh, that’s awesome! I knew you guys could handle anything!” There’s only one way to describe her expression, and it’s just :D

“Oh, I think I hear the bell overhead,” Claudia motioned to the ceiling intercom. “I’ve gotta get to class,” she stood, and the others followed suit.

“What?” Ariel asked, confused. “I don’t hear a bell.”

“Oh, It’s just- uh- really quiet today,” Callum nodded as the four stepped away from the table. “See you in theatre class!”

“See what we mean?” Rayla whispered to Soren as they walked away, moving into the hallway. “It’s like saying her name summons her.”

“She has no clue what she’s doing,” Claudia confirmed. “Please, Soren, please come replace her!”

“I can talk to Amaya and have the changes arranged before school’s even over,” Callum said as the four walked in a line through the hall. “We need someone better than her.”

“Yeah, guys, I’m not gonna do that.” Soren separated from the group at a split in the hallway, ready to go a different direction than everyone else. “I’m just here for the credit.”

“But you know the show like no one else does!” Rayla stepped towards him. “I can’t bear to be her assistant stage manager anymore- I’d rather work with you!”

“Sorry, I just-“

“Soren, I don’t think you understand, I’m  _ asking  _ to work with  _ you.  _ That’s how bad Ariel is.” Rayla let her shoulders slump. “You know I hate working with you.”

“This is true,” he confirmed, though he stepped further down the opposite hallway. “But we must also consider: I don’t want to.” He turned on his heel and strode away, leaving three desperate theatre kids in the dust. 

“This is a disaster,” Claudia groaned, facing the other two. “Getting our current stage manager out and getting Sore in is our best chance at having a successful opening night.”

“I agree,” Rayla said, “But you heard him say multiple times that he just doesn’t wanna do it.”

“He’s so stubborn,” Claudia complained, crossing her arms. “I just wish he’d take over already.” 

Above them, the bell sounded for real. Students started pouring out of the cafeteria, flooding the hallways. Without even discussing their next move, the three headed down to the basement, where they’d find Amaya in the black box. Their best hope was to find the show bible before opening night. Things were looking bleak. 

—

In the black box, Rayla and Claudia scowered the backstage, while Callum explained the situation to Amaya. 

“She’s just so unorganized,” he signed. “She doesn’t know the show at all, and she doesn’t keep the cast in check when she’s supposed to. Amaya, it’s a disaster.”

“I know it is, but she’s all we have. Every other senior said no to the position,” Amaya explained. “If I could change her role, I would, but there’s just no one else who’s old enough.”

“What if they weren’t a senior?” Callum was scrambling now. “What if they were a junior, but they knew the show real well? If you knew they’d be good at the job, would you make a junior a stage manager?”

Amaya paused and thought, before responding. “I guess I could make the switch,” she replied, “But they’d have to be a perfect fit. If we’re changing things last minute, I want it to be a peaceful transition.”

“Amaya, Ariel lost the show bible.”

Her jaw dropped. “We’re replacing her. Who did you have in mind?”

—

Soren’s phone rang as soon as he got home. Red flag number one. The call was from Callum. Red flag number two. He didn’t feel like dealing with more pleading. He was done with  _ Oh, please, Great and Wonderful Soren, please save us!  _ It was starting to get annoying. He dropped his phone on his desk and fell onto his bed, ready to fall asleep. The incoming call ended.

And then his phone started ringing again. Red flag number three.

**Author's Note:**

> hi all! thanks for reading! sorry its so short- i’ll be back with those over 2k vibes for part 2 tomorrow!
> 
> a few things to think about w these chapters-
> 
> i took some creative liberty with the ages and changed them around a bit- soren is 17 instead of 18, a junior. Claudia is 16, a sophomore, and callum and rayla are 14/15, freshmen. 
> 
> i also wanna address who this ariel character is.... oh wait its me haha  
> i’m nothing like this irl- i’m actually super organized and hard working, and i’m actually student directing a show this year, so trust that i’m not a complete failure lmao. i do have orange hair and choppy bangs- this part is true lol
> 
> i decided to include myself instead of another tdp character for a few reasons: a) i couldnt think of anyone. b) i didn’t want to offend fans of whoever i chose by painting them to be a bad leader, so i decided fuck it, lets make fun of me here
> 
> i hope you all enjoyed and stick around for stage managing 102!


End file.
